Akamai Technologies Inc. is leading a consortium backing a new standard which promises to speed the delivery of Internet content to computers and a variety of Internet-connected devices.

Akamai is teaming with Network Appliance, Novell Inc., Network Associates Inc., Allaire, Broadvision Inc., Open Market, Finjan Software and Exodus Communications to establish the Internet Content Adaption Protocol. It is designed to allow Internet-based services to operate across multiple platforms. It also standardizes a method for sharing content across multiple servers worldwide.

A forum comprised of members from the companies will establish the protocol's framework. Once its research is complete, it will go to the Internet Engineering Task Force which will ultimately decide whether it will be made a standard. Even before the standard is set, several of the firms anticipate launching services based on some of the technology by early 2000.

Under the new standard, Web sites would recognize a visitor's platform much like they do Web browsers today. The information's delivery would then be optimized so that it would be properly displayed regardless of the device being used.

Another key backer of the project is networking giant Cisco Systems Inc. (CSCO) which may include some of the group's innovations in upcoming releases of routers.

Wednesday's announcement is not the first of its kind as Inktomi Corp. (INKT) and Sun Microsystems Inc. (SUNW) have already proposed a similar idea.